Birmingham hit by obesity ‘epidemic’
THE shocking extent of obesity in the West Midlands was unveiled today with alarmed doctors warning it has reached ‘epidemic’ proportions.
New NHS figures show more than 500 people needed stomach stapling operations or had to have part of their tummy removed in 2007/2008 because they were dangerously overweight. This compares with just 36 people in 1998, an increase of 1,341 per cent over the past decade.
Dr Sam Ramaiah, public health director of Walsall, which has one of the few national clinics for obese children, said more needed to be done by politicians and authorities to address the ‘epidemic’.
“As a nation, we are not doing enough about obesity and need to see something done jointly between Parliament, schools and the food and alcohol industry,” he said.
He spoke as disturbing statistics revealed:
n Obesity currently costs Birmingham health services more than £316 million a year and will rise to £351 million by 2015.
n More doctors and dieticians are having to be recruited because people are having to wait six months for surgery.
